Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • G06Q30/00—Commerce
  • G06Q30/02—Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
  • G06Q30/0241—Advertisements
  • G06Q30/0251—Targeted advertisements
  • G06Q30/0255—Targeted advertisements based on user history
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F16/00—Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
  • G06F16/90—Details of database functions independent of the retrieved data types
  • G06F16/95—Retrieval from the web
  • G06F16/958—Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L67/00—Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications
  • H04L67/01—Protocols
  • H04L67/02—Protocols based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W4/00—Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
  • H04W4/20—Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
  • H04W4/21—Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel for social networking applications

Definitions

• This disclosure relates to computer systems and related methods that are adapted to facilitate automated targeting of advertising content and more particularly to systems and methods to stop serving ads to a consumer in certain circumstances based on detecting a purchase signal from transaction data at a computer server of a transaction enabling party, such as a financial institution.
• targeting of advertisements on the Internet typically may involve a user browsing products on an e-commerce site, optionally placing one or more products in an electronic shopping cart, wish list, or the like, but then leaving the site without completing a purchase.
• the host of the e-commerce site may work with an ad targeting network, which may put a cookie or other tracking element on the user's browser when the user was on the e-commerce site.
• the previously browsed/abandoned products may be the subject of targeted messages, reminders, or "ads," on various Internet sites, such as ones that participate with the same ad targeting network as the e-commerce site that was initially browsed.
• a financial institution or other party that facilitates a transaction may provide information about the transaction for a stop retargeting cookie, where the stop re-targeting cookie, when detected, such as by a server of an advertising network interacting with a user's browser, prompts a comparison to a re-targeting cookie on the browser and, if the stop re-targeting cookie and the re-targeting cookie are matched, may prompt the modification, removal, or replacement of the re-targeting cookie.
• a method to stop serving re-targeting ads or to modify targeting of ads includes facilitating a transaction for a user, storing information about the nature of the transaction on a financial institution server, generating a stop targeting cookie based on the nature of the transaction, and placing the stop targeting cookie on a user's browser.
• the stop targeting cookie may be a stop re-targeting cookie.
• the match may be based on: the re-targeting cookie and the stop retargeting cookie relating to the same product or service, the re-targeting cookie and the stop re-targeting cookie relating to similar products or services, or a merchant can set preferences as to what extent of matching information is sufficient to cause an ad network server to not place an ad on the user's browser.
• the information may be at least one of a category of item, the actual item, provider, merchant, category of merchant, SKU, QR code, bar code, part number, and serial number.
• the stop retargeting cookie may be compared to a re-targeting cookie for matching information in a time span shorter than a browser refresh or webpage load.
• the stop re-targeting cookie may be compared to a re-targeting cookie in a time span selected from the group consisting of: less than about 10 seconds, less than about 5 seconds, less than about 1 second, or substantially instantaneously.
• the transaction may be facilitated on an online store, a physical store, on a mobile app, by mail, or by phone.
• a merchant may set preferences as to if a stop re-targeting cookie can be accessed by the ad network server based on a level of a purchase intent of the user.
• a method to stop serving re-targeting ads or modify targeting includes taking at an ad targeting server, an electronic data structure representing the content of a transaction by a user of an electronic commerce site from a financial institution server that facilitated the transaction, accessing, by the ad targeting server, at least one re-targeting cookie from a user' s browser, comparing the transaction content information to the re-targeting cookie for matching or overlapping information 210, and if the at least one re-targeting cookie matches the transaction content information, at least one of deleting, updating, or replacing the re-targeting cookie.
• a merchant can set preferences as to what extent of matching information is sufficient to cause the deleting, updating, or replacing of the re-targeting cookie.
• the transaction content information may be at least one of the following: a category of item, an identifier of the actual item, a provider identifier, a merchant identifier, a category of merchant, a SKU, a QR code, a bar code, a part number, and a serial number.
• the transaction content information may be compared to a re-targeting cookie in a time span shorter than a browser refresh or webpage load.
• the transaction content information may be compared to a re-targeting cookie in a time span selected from the group consisting of: less than about 10 seconds, less than about 5 seconds, less than about 1 second, or substantially instantaneously.
• the transaction may be facilitated on an online store, a physical store, on a mobile app, by mail, or by phone.
• a merchant interacting with the ad targeting server may set preferences as to whether a stop re-targeting cookie can be at least one of deleted, updated, and replaced based on a detected level of a purchase intent of the user.
• Fig. 1 depicts a method to stop serving re-targeting ads.
• Fig. 2 depicts a method to stop serving re-targeting ads.
• a cookie may be placed on the user's browser.
• the user may leave the site without completing a purchase, and the cookie may signal the ad network to place an ad, message, or the like corresponding to the browsed goods or services on a publisher site visited by the user.
• the ad or message may be placed even if the goods or services were purchased at the original e- commerce site or with another merchant or site.
• re-targeting is accomplished by placing code, such as a JavaScript tag, in a portion of the e- commerce website, such as a footer or header.
• This code creates a list of users, or user identifiers, that visit the site by placing "cookies" in each user's browser.
• This list allows an ad network or targeting vendor to display targeted ads to users as they visit other sites, which, when targeting users who have already undertaken actions with respect to particular goods, such as placing the goods in a shopping cart or on a wish list, can be referred to as "re-targeting" the users, due to the repeated nature of the targeting for those users.
• a system to signal to the ad network that one or more browsed goods or services have been purchased or otherwise transacted upon at a similar merchant is described.
• One component of the system relies on obtaining information that a good or service or a similar good or service has been purchased at a different site, or that a user has purchased some good or service, even if it is not the same browsed good or service, from a similar merchant.
• the signal can be delivered or found by that merchant and other merchants that work with the ad network, so that the fact that the user has purchased the item is known throughout the set of merchants that work with the ad network.
• a financial institution that facilitated a purchase or transaction may have information about the good or service associated with the transaction, such as the category of item, the identity of the actual item, the identity of the provider, the identity of the merchant, a merchant category, a SKU, a QR code, a bar code, a part number, a serial number, or the like.
• a user may browse a first sneaker at a first online shoe store. The user may leave the first online shoe store without completing the purchase, but then may go to a second online shoe store. In this example, the user purchases the first sneaker at the second online shoe store and the financial institution facilitates the transaction. The financial institution now possesses information about this transaction.
• the financial institution may know the category of items purchased by the user (sneakers/shoes, in this example), the actual item (the first sneaker, in this example), the exact merchant/website where the transaction took place (the second online shoe store, in this example), the category of merchant/website where the transaction took place, certain details about the item (e.g. bar code, SKU, QR code, etc.), and the like. While this example uses a second online store as the eventual merchant/website where the transaction took place, it should be understood that this system is operable where the transaction eventually takes place at any online or physical store for which the financial institution facilitates transactions, such as by processing credit card purchases.
• the financial institution may signal to the ad network that the user has already purchased the same or similar goods or services, or that the user has made a purchase with a similar merchant or service provider.
• the signal may include one or more pieces of information about the transaction of the types noted above.
• the signal may be a cookie that the financial institution places on the user's browser, or hands off to an ad network to place on the user's browser, that indicates that targeting should stop or be modified with respect to the goods or services in question.
• a signal is referred to throughout this disclosure as a "stop re-targeting" cookie or a “stop re-targeting” signal, and it should be understood that except where context indicates otherwise, such a signal or cookie should be understood to encompass signals to stop re-targeting altogether, to modify the nature of targeting, or to substitute a different kind of targeting.
• the stop retargeting cookie may include information about the transaction.
• the stop re-targeting cookie may include information about the user making a purchase at the second online shoe store, such as the actual name of the store, the category of merchant, or the like.
• the ad network server is contacted for an ad to place on the page.
• the ad network server may access cookies on the user's browser, including at least one from the first online shoe store and the stop re-targeting cookie.
• the cookies may be compared to determine whether they match, such as based on identical, overlapping or similar information, which in this case is a category of merchant, and the stop re-targeting cookie that is based on the financial institution's transaction information may be recognized as a signal to stop or modify re-targeting (that is, it is recognized as a stop re-targeting cookie) because of the match of information between the two types of cookie.
• the ad network server will be caused to undertake a different action than it would have otherwise taken absent the matching of the stop re-targeting cookie with the conventional cookie, such as not placing an ad associated with the first online shoe store on the web page, placing a modified ad (such as for a different item), deleting the conventional cookie, or the like.
• the process of comparing cookies for matching or overlapping information may occur automatically, under computer control of the ad targeting server or other server, in a time span shorter than a browser refresh or webpage load such that a re-targeted ad can be blocked from being displayed when a new ad is requested from the ad server. This time span may less than about 10 seconds, less than about 5 seconds, less than about 1 second, or substantially instantaneously.
• a method to stop serving re-targeting ads 100 or to modify targeting of ads includes facilitating a transaction for a user 102, storing information about the nature of the transaction on a financial institution server 104, generating a stop targeting cookie based on the nature of the transaction 108, and placing the stop targeting cookie on a user's browser 110.
• the stop targeting cookie may be a stop re-targeting cookie.
• the stop re-targeting cookie is compared to a retargeting cookie, and the ad network server is caused to not place an ad on the user's browser when the re-targeting cookie and the stop re-targeting cookie are matched based on the comparison.
• the match may be based on: the re-targeting cookie and the stop re-targeting cookie relating to the same product or service, the re-targeting cookie and the stop re-targeting cookie relating to similar products or services, or a merchant can set preferences as to what extent of matching information is sufficient to cause an ad network server to not place an ad on the user's browser.
• the information may be at least one of a category of item, the actual item, provider, merchant, category of merchant, SKU, QR code, bar code, part number, and serial number.
• the stop re-targeting cookie may be compared to a re-targeting cookie for matching information in a time span shorter than a browser refresh or webpage load.
• the stop re-targeting cookie may be compared to a re-targeting cookie in a time span selected from the group consisting of: less than about 10 seconds, less than about 5 seconds, less than about 1 second, or substantially instantaneously.
• the transaction may be facilitated on an online store, a physical store, on a mobile app, by mail, or by phone.
• a merchant may set preferences as to if a stop re-targeting cookie can be accessed by the ad network server based on a level of a purchase intent of the user.
• the stop re-targeting cookie may include information about the item purchased, such as the name of the item, a SKU, or the like.
• the ad network server is contacted for an ad to place on the page.
• the ad network server may access cookies on the user's browser, including at least one from the first online shoe store and the stop re-targeting cookie.
• the cookies may be compared for a match, such as based on similar or overlapping information, which in this case is information about an item, and the cookie that is based on the financial institution's information about the content of a transaction may be recognized as a stop re-targeting cookie because of the matching or overlapping information. Having recognized the stop re-targeting cookie, the ad network server will be caused to not place the ad associated with the first online shoe store that would have been placed if the ad network server only detected a conventional cookie;
• the ad network server may place no advertisement, or it may place a modified advertisement.
• the process of comparing cookies for matching or overlapping information may occur automatically, under computer control, in a time span shorter than a browser refresh or webpage load such that a re-targeted ad can be blocked from being displayed when a new ad is requested from the ad server. This time span may less than about 10 seconds, less than about 5 seconds, less than about 1 second, or substantially instantaneously.
• a method to stop serving re-targeting ads 200 or modify targeting includes taking at an ad targeting server, an electronic data structure representing the content of a transaction by a user of an electronic commerce site from a financial institution server that facilitated the transaction 202, accessing, by the ad targeting server, at least one re-targeting cookie from a user's browser 208, comparing the transaction content information to the re-targeting cookie for matching or overlapping information 210, and if the at least one re-targeting cookie matches the transaction content information, at least one of deleting, updating, or replacing the retargeting cookie 212.
• a merchant can set preferences as to what extent of matching information is sufficient to cause the deleting, updating, or replacing of the retargeting cookie.
• the transaction content information may be at least one of a category of item, an identifier of the actual item, a provider identifier, a merchant identifier, a category of merchant, a SKU, a QR code, a bar code, a part number, and a serial number.
• the transaction content information may be compared to a re-targeting cookie in a time span shorter than a browser refresh or webpage load.
• the transaction content information may be compared to a re-targeting cookie in a time span selected from the group consisting of: less than about 10 seconds, less than about 5 seconds, less than about 1 second, or substantially instantaneously.
• the transaction may be facilitated on an online store, a physical store, on a mobile app, by mail, or by phone.
• a merchant interacting with the ad targeting server may set preferences as to whether a stop re-targeting cookie can be at least one of deleted, updated, and replaced based on a detected level of a purchase intent of the user.
• the above scenario is illustrative of at least one way for retargeting to be stopped, there are many other ways contemplated in this disclosure, some of which may involve an ad network's preference or a merchant's preference.
• the ad network server or merchant can set preferences as to what information may be required to be included in the stop re-targeting cookie in order for an ad to not be placed on a user webpage.
• the stop re-targeting cookie may include information about the specific item purchased at the second online shoe store and, in this example, perhaps the item was a second sneaker.
• the merchant or ad network may elect to continue placing re-targeting ads for the first sneaker or re-targeting may be stopped.
• transaction information of the enabling financial institution indicates the occurrence of a purchase by a user of an item that was the subject of retargeting in an ad network
• the detection of a stop re-targeting cookie may prompt the delivery of a targeted ad for a complementary item.
• the ad network instead of sending a message or ad that reminds the user about the smart phone, may deliver an advertisement for an accessory for the smart phone, such as a protective case, a stylus, or the like.
• the user may browse the first online shoe store for the first sneaker, but may then visit a physical shoe store to make the purchase of the first sneaker. Since it is the financial institution that possesses the transaction information useful for generating a stop re-targeting cookie, it does not matter if the purchase was made at an online store, a physical store, on a mobile app, by mail, by phone, or the like, so long as the financial institution can associate the transaction information with the user's browser to accurately generate a stop re-targeting cookie or signal that a stop re-targeting cookie should be generated by the ad network.
• an alternative way for a financial institution to signal to an ad network that re-targeting should be stopped may be by deleting, updating, or replacing the re-targeting cookie.
• the financial institution may simply access cookies on the user's browser, compare the transaction information to the re-targeting cookies present on the user's browser, and if there are any cookies where the re-targeting information matches or overlaps with the transaction information, the re-targeting cookie may be deleted, updated, or replaced.
• the process of deleting, updating, or replacing cookies may occur automatically under computer control in a time span shorter than a browser refresh or webpage load such that a re-targeted ad can be blocked from being displayed when a new ad is requested from the ad server.
• This time span may less than about 10 seconds, less than about 5 seconds, less than about 1 second, or substantially instantaneously.
• an alternative way for a financial institution to signal to an ad network that re-targeting should be stopped may be based on a specific purchase intent signal.
• purchase intent may be a piece of information that is included in the re-targeting cookie placed by the e-commerce site and the merchant or ad network may create rules associated with the purchase intent.
• any transaction at a similar merchant may be sufficient information in a stop re-targeting cookie to cause an ad network to not place an ad on a web page, or to place a different ad, in accordance with merchant preference.
• only a transaction including the exact item that was not purchased may be sufficient information in a stop re-targeting cookie to cause an ad network to not place an ad on a web page, in accordance with merchant preference.
• the e-commerce site may directly integrate with a payment instrument on the site, such as through use of a digital wallet.
• a payment instrument on the site such as through use of a digital wallet.
• the re-targeting cookie When the re-targeting cookie is generated by the e-commerce site, it may be automatically associated with the payment instrument. Then, as transactions are made using the payment instrument or digital wallet at other sites, the information on the re-targeting cookie may be deleted, updated, or replaced in response to information obtained from the payment instrument.
• stop re-targeting cookies may be useful even if users are switching between various channels, such as browsers, platforms, devices (e.g. desktop, laptop, tablet, smartphone, cellular phone), applications, mobile applications, network types (e.g. telecommunications network, ISP), computer architectures (e.g., distributed, cloud architecture), offline merchants or service providers, and the like, when they are browsing or purchasing.
• various channels such as browsers, platforms, devices (e.g. desktop, laptop, tablet, smartphone, cellular phone), applications, mobile applications, network types (e.g. telecommunications network, ISP), computer architectures (e.g., distributed, cloud architecture), offline merchants or service providers, and the like, when they are browsing or purchasing.
• re-targeting campaigns can flow through multiple channels.
• stop re- targeting cookies can also be useful across channels. Using the same or similar spatial information, temporal information, first party data, or third party data, stop retargeting cookies can be placed across channels effectively.
• stop re-targeting cookies may be useful to stop retargeting ads from being placed on social networks (e.g. Facebook) or as promoted tweets or re-tweets on Twitter.
• analytics may be used to track failed
• each time a stop re-targeting cookie is matched to a retargeting cookie this may be tracked as a failed conversion by the ad network.
• Data associated with the re-targeting cookie and the stop re-targeting cookie may be analyzed to determine a pattern or cause for the failed conversion, such as different cost of the products, better assortment of variations/sizes offered, and the like.
• the methods and systems described herein may be deployed in part or in whole through a machine that executes computer software, program codes, and/or instructions on a processor.
• the present invention may be implemented as a method on the machine, as a system or apparatus as part of or in relation to the machine, or as a computer program product embodied in a computer readable medium executing on one or more of the machines.
• the processor may be part of a server, cloud server, client, network infrastructure, mobile computing platform, stationary computing platform, or other computing platform.
• a processor may be any kind of computational or processing device capable of executing program instructions, codes, binary instructions and the like.
• the processor may be or may include a signal processor, digital processor, embedded processor, microprocessor or any variant such as a co-processor (math co-processor, graphic co-processor, communication co-processor and the like) and the like that may directly or indirectly facilitate execution of program code or program instructions stored thereon.
• the processor may enable execution of multiple programs, threads, and codes. The threads may be executed simultaneously to enhance the performance of the processor and to facilitate simultaneous operations of the application.
• methods, program codes, program instructions and the like described herein may be implemented in one or more thread.
• the thread may spawn other threads that may have assigned priorities associated with them; the processor may execute these threads based on priority or any other order based on instructions provided in the program code.
• the processor may include memory that stores methods, codes, instructions and programs as described herein and elsewhere.
• the processor may access a storage medium through an interface that may store methods, codes, and instructions as described herein and elsewhere.
• the storage medium associated with the processor for storing methods, programs, codes, program instructions or other type of instructions capable of being executed by the computing or processing device may include but may not be limited to one or more of a CD-ROM, DVD, memory, hard disk, flash drive, RAM, ROM, cache and the like.
• a processor may include one or more cores that may enhance speed and performance of a multiprocessor.
• the process may be a dual core processor, quad core processors, other chip-level multiprocessor and the like that combine two or more independent cores (called a die).
• the methods and systems described herein may be deployed in part or in whole through a machine that executes computer software on a server, client, firewall, gateway, hub, router, or other such computer and/or networking hardware.
• the software program may be associated with a server that may include a file server, print server, domain server, internet server, intranet server, cloud server, and other variants such as secondary server, host server, distributed server and the like.
• the server may include one or more of memories, processors, computer readable media, storage media, ports (physical and virtual), communication devices, and interfaces capable of accessing other servers, clients, machines, and devices through a wired or a wireless medium, and the like.
• the methods, programs, or codes as described herein and elsewhere may be executed by the server.
• other devices required for execution of methods as described in this application may be considered as a part of the infrastructure associated with the server.
• the server may provide an interface to other devices including, without limitation, clients, other servers, printers, database servers, print servers, file servers, communication servers, distributed servers, social networks, and the like. Additionally, this coupling and/or connection may facilitate remote execution of program across the network. The networking of some or all of these devices may facilitate parallel processing of a program or method at one or more location without deviating from the scope of the disclosure.
• any of the devices attached to the server through an interface may include at least one storage medium capable of storing methods, programs, code and/or instructions.
• a central repository may provide program instructions to be executed on different devices.
• the remote repository may act as a storage medium for program code, instructions, and programs.
• the software program may be associated with a client that may include a file client, print client, domain client, internet client, intranet client and other variants such as secondary client, host client, distributed client and the like.
• the client may include one or more of memories, processors, computer readable media, storage media, ports (physical and virtual), communication devices, and interfaces capable of accessing other clients, servers, machines, and devices through a wired or a wireless medium, and the like.
• the methods, programs, or codes as described herein and elsewhere may be executed by the client.
• other devices required for execution of methods as described in this application may be considered as a part of the infrastructure associated with the client.
• the client may provide an interface to other devices including, without limitation, servers, other clients, printers, database servers, print servers, file servers, communication servers, distributed servers and the like. Additionally, this coupling and/or connection may facilitate remote execution of program across the network. The networking of some or all of these devices may facilitate parallel processing of a program or method at one or more location without deviating from the scope of the disclosure.
• any of the devices attached to the client through an interface may include at least one storage medium capable of storing methods, programs, applications, code and/or instructions.
• a central repository may provide program instructions to be executed on different devices.
• the remote repository may act as a storage medium for program code, instructions, and programs.
• the methods and systems described herein may be deployed in part or in whole through network infrastructures.
• the network infrastructure may include elements such as computing devices, servers, routers, hubs, firewalls, clients, personal computers, communication devices, routing devices and other active and passive devices, modules and/or components as known in the art.
• the computing and/or non- computing device(s) associated with the network infrastructure may include, apart from other components, a storage medium such as flash memory, buffer, stack, RAM, ROM and the like.
• the processes, methods, program codes, instructions described herein and elsewhere may be executed by one or more of the network infrastructural elements.
• SaaS software as a service
• PaaS platform as a service
• IaaS infrastructure as a service
• the methods, program codes, and instructions described herein and elsewhere may be implemented on a cellular network having multiple cells.
• the cellular network may either be frequency division multiple access (FDMA) network or code division multiple access (CDMA) network.
• FDMA frequency division multiple access
• CDMA code division multiple access
• the cellular network may include mobile devices, cell sites, base stations, repeaters, antennas, towers, and the like.
• the cell network may be a GSM, GPRS, 3G, EVDO, mesh, or other networks types.
• the methods, program codes, and instructions described herein and elsewhere may be implemented on or through mobile devices.
• the mobile devices may include navigation devices, cell phones, mobile phones, mobile personal digital assistants, laptops, palmtops, netbooks, pagers, electronic books readers, music players and the like. These devices may include, apart from other components, a storage medium such as a flash memory, buffer, RAM, ROM and one or more computing devices.
• the computing devices associated with mobile devices may be enabled to execute program codes, methods, and instructions stored thereon.
• the mobile devices may be configured to execute instructions in collaboration with other devices.
• the mobile devices may communicate with base stations interfaced with servers and configured to execute program codes.
• the mobile devices may communicate on a peer-to-peer network, mesh network, or other communications network.
• the program code may be stored on the storage medium associated with the server and executed by a computing device embedded within the server.
• the base station may include a computing device and a storage medium.
• the storage device may store program codes and instructions executed by the computing devices associated with the base station.
• the computer software, program codes, and/or instructions may be stored and/or accessed on machine readable media that may include: computer components, devices, and recording media that retain digital data used for computing for some interval of time; semiconductor storage known as random access memory (RAM); mass storage typically for more permanent storage, such as optical discs, forms of magnetic storage like hard disks, tapes, drums, cards and other types;
• RAM random access memory
• mass storage typically for more permanent storage, such as optical discs, forms of magnetic storage like hard disks, tapes, drums, cards and other types;
• processor registers cache memory, volatile memory, non-volatile memory; optical storage such as CD, DVD; removable media such as flash memory (e.g. USB sticks or keys), floppy disks, magnetic tape, paper tape, punch cards, standalone RAM disks, Zip drives, removable mass storage, off-line, and the like; other computer memory such as dynamic memory, static memory, read/write storage, mutable storage, read only, random access, sequential access, location addressable, file addressable, content addressable, network attached storage, storage area network, bar codes, magnetic ink, and the like.
• optical storage such as CD, DVD
• removable media such as flash memory (e.g. USB sticks or keys), floppy disks, magnetic tape, paper tape, punch cards, standalone RAM disks, Zip drives, removable mass storage, off-line, and the like
• other computer memory such as dynamic memory, static memory, read/write storage, mutable storage, read only, random access, sequential access, location addressable, file addressable, content addressable, network attached storage, storage area network, bar codes, magnetic in
• the methods and systems described herein may transform physical and/or or intangible items from one state to another.
• the methods and systems described herein may also transform data representing physical and/or intangible items from one state to another.
• the methods and/or processes described above, and steps associated therewith, may be realized in hardware, software or any combination of hardware and software suitable for a particular application.
• the hardware may include a general- purpose computer and/or dedicated computing device or specific computing device or particular aspect or component of a specific computing device.
• the processes may be realized in one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, embedded microcontrollers, programmable digital signal processors or other programmable device, along with internal and/or external memory.
• the processes may also, or instead, be embodied in an application specific integrated circuit, a programmable gate array, programmable array logic, or any other device or combination of devices that may be configured to process electronic signals. It will further be appreciated that one or more of the processes may be realized as a computer executable code capable of being executed on a machine-readable medium.
• the computer executable code may be created using a structured programming language such as C, an object oriented programming language such as C++, or any other high-level or low-level programming language (including assembly languages, hardware description languages, and database programming languages and technologies) that may be stored, compiled or interpreted to run on one of the above devices, as well as heterogeneous combinations of processors, processor architectures, or combinations of different hardware and software, or any other machine capable of executing program instructions.
• a structured programming language such as C
• an object oriented programming language such as C++
• any other high-level or low-level programming language including assembly languages, hardware description languages, and database programming languages and technologies
• methods described above and combinations thereof may be embodied in computer executable code that, when executing on one or more computing devices, performs the steps thereof.
• the methods may be embodied in systems that perform the steps thereof, and may be distributed across devices in a number of ways, or all of the functionality may be integrated into a dedicated, standalone device or other hardware.
• the means for performing the steps associated with the processes described above may include any of the hardware and/or software described above. All such permutations and combinations are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

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